Checklist · 13 picks · 3 categories

smash burger checklist

Edited by Zach · updated Nov 1, 2026 · How I pick

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Best for smash burgers HULISEN Stainless Steel Burger Press Best for your first smash burger nightunder $15Shop on Amazon
Scrape up every bit of crust Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe 8" x 3" Cake Turner Best for getting under the crust in one clean scrape$25-50Shop on Amazon
Backyard flat-top Blackstone Original 28-Inch Griddle With Hard Cover Best for backyard smash burgers for a crowd$200-300Shop on Amazon

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Smash burgers are the easiest win for a Super Bowl party: a ball of beef, a very hot surface, one hard press.

You need three things. First, something heavy and flat to smash with: Food Network names the HULISEN its best press for smash burgers and the Breeo its best overall. Second, a stiff spatula to scrape the crust up in one piece, like America's Test Kitchen's winning Dexter-Russell offset turner. Third, a surface that gets really hot. A cast iron skillet or Serious Eats' favorite stovetop griddle works indoors, and a Blackstone flat-top is the move if the whole watch party is eating outside. Food Network's fix for sticking is a square of parchment between the beef and the press. Each card shows the drawback the outlet called out, so you know about the rust or the extra muscle before kickoff.

Who this is not for. Skip this if you want low-and-slow barbecue; the Smoker Starter list is the one you want.

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Estimates based on typical prices, checked Nov 1, 2026. Prices change; see the store for today's price.

The must-haves

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01 Smash

the first pick is the one I would start with

Compare these 6

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
HULISEN Stainless Steel Burger Press	budget	under $15	your first smash burger night	1 outlet
Cuisinart Cast-Iron Smashed Burger Press	mid	$15-25	smashing with less muscle	1 outlet
Breeo Stainless Steel Griddle Press	splurge	$25-50	smash burgers every weekend	1 outlet
Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe 8" x 3" Cake Turner	splurge	$25-50	getting under the crust in one clean scrape	1 outlet
Winco Blade Hamburger Turner	budget	under $15	smashing and scraping on a budget	1 outlet
Mercer Culinary Hell's Handle Perforated Turner/Spatula, 8" x 3"	mid	$15-25	a pro-style turner for less	1 outlet

Burger press

Best burger press

budget pick · Handheld

HULISEN Stainless Steel Burger Press

Best for your first smash burger night

Food Network's best press for smash burgers: light, but it still made a thin, crispy smash burger, and the handle stayed cool enough to hold.

Heads up. It stuck a little to raw beef, so Food Network suggests parchment or a spritz of cooking spray

1 outlet. Food Network best for Smash Burgers burger press.

under $15

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mid pick · 6 in round

Cuisinart Cast-Iron Smashed Burger Press

Best for smashing with less muscle

Food Network's best cast iron press: the weight does the work, and it made a fairly round, thin smash burger with crispy edges.

Heads up. Needs hand washing and drying right away so it doesn't rust, and there's no instruction manual

1 outlet. Food Network best Cast Iron burger press.

$15-25

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splurge pick · Nearly 6 in square

Breeo Stainless Steel Griddle Press

Best for smash burgers every weekend

Food Network's best overall burger press: comfortable and easy for smash burgers, and the beef didn't stick to it.

Heads up. Might be too heavy for some

1 outlet. Food Network best Overall burger press.

$25-50

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Spatula

Best spatula

splurge pick · 8 x 3 in

Dexter-Russell Sani-Safe 8" x 3" Cake Turner

Best for getting under the crust in one clean scrape

America's Test Kitchen's winning offset turner: it scoops up a lot of food, slides easily under it and has a grippy textured handle.

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen winning offset turner.

$25-50

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budget pick · 12 x 3 in

Winco Blade Hamburger Turner

Best for smashing and scraping on a budget

Food Network's best heavy-duty spatula: a sharp edge that Food Network says will smash burgers thin with little effort, on a stainless pan or a cast iron griddle.

Heads up. Not dishwasher-safe, and a little bulky to store

1 outlet. Food Network best Heavy-Duty spatula.

under $15

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mid pick · 8 x 3 in

Mercer Culinary Hell's Handle Perforated Turner/Spatula, 8" x 3"

Best for a pro-style turner for less

America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy offset turner: it performed nearly as well as the winner, with a similarly grippy handle.

Heads up. The perforations sometimes caught on food and tore it

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy offset turner.

$15-25

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02 Hot surface

Compare these 5

Pick	Tier	Price	Best for	Evidence
Blackstone Original 28-Inch Griddle With Hard Cover	splurge	$200-300	backyard smash burgers for a crowd	1 outlet
Lodge LDP3 Cast Iron Reversible Grill/Griddle	budget	$25-50	four patties at once on the stove	1 outlet
Presto 22-Inch Electric Griddle	mid	$50-100	feeding the whole watch party indoors	1 outlet
Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet	budget	$25-50	smash burgers with the pan you already own	1 outlet
Smithey No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet	splurge	$150-200	a pan to pass down	2 outlets agree

Griddle

Best griddle

splurge pick · 517 sq in

Blackstone Original 28-Inch Griddle With Hard Cover

Best for backyard smash burgers for a crowd

Food Network's best value flat-top griddle: it gets hot and stays hot, without taking up too much space on the patio.

Heads up. Only two burners, no hood and a short warranty

1 outlet. Food Network best Value flat-top griddle.

$200-300

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budget pick · Stovetop

Lodge LDP3 Cast Iron Reversible Grill/Griddle

Best for four patties at once on the stove

Serious Eats' best stovetop griddle: cast iron from a reputable brand that gets really hot.

Heads up. No drip tray, so grease can spill onto the cooktop

1 outlet. Serious Eats best stovetop griddle.

$25-50

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mid pick · 22 in

Presto 22-Inch Electric Griddle

Best for feeding the whole watch party indoors

Serious Eats' best electric griddle, recommended for years: heats quickly and holds a steady temperature for big batches.

Heads up. Sits low, so you hunch over while cooking

1 outlet. Serious Eats best electric griddle.

$50-100

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Cast iron skillet

Best cast iron skillet

budget pick · Large

Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet

Best for smash burgers with the pan you already own

America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy: it performed close to the winning skillet for a fraction of the price, with strong heat retention and browning.

Heads up. The rough, pebbly surface was sticky at first, and it's heavy

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy cast iron skillet.

$25-50

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splurge pick · Large

Smithey No. 10 Cast Iron Skillet

Best for a pan to pass down

A polished, heirloom-quality skillet that was among the most nonstick pans CNN tried.

Heads up. Very expensive

2 outlets agree. CNN Underscored heirloom pick. America's Test Kitchen best 10-inch skillet.

$150-200

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03 Check it

Best instant-read thermometer

budget pick · Compact

ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2

Best for thicker patties and chicken sandwiches on the side

America's Test Kitchen's Best Buy: a no-frills model that's quick, accurate and dead simple to use, a bargain for the price.

Heads up. Not a leave-in probe

1 outlet. America's Test Kitchen best Buy instant-read thermometer.

$25-50

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splurge pick · Compact

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE

Best for a thermometer to keep for years

America's Test Kitchen's winning instant-read thermometer: fast, accurate and easy to use.

Heads up. Expensive for a thermometer.

2 outlets agree. America's Test Kitchen winning instant-read thermometer. Serious Eats pick.

$100-150

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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me

Questions people ask

Do you need a burger press for smash burgers?

Not strictly. Food Network says you can press a ball of ground beef flat with a press or a flat spatula before it cooks. A press makes it easier: America's Test Kitchen calls presses the tool of choice for crispy smashed burgers, and found that lighter presses take more force to smash.

How do you keep smash burgers from sticking to the press?

Food Network's tip is parchment or burger papers between the beef and the press, or a spray of cooking spray on the press. The HULISEN stuck a little to raw beef in its review, while the Breeo didn't.

How heavy should a burger press be?

America's Test Kitchen found presses between 1.5 and 2.5 pounds the most versatile. Lighter ones needed more force to smash burgers, and ones over 3.5 pounds were too heavy for delicate foods but good for smashing. It says about 30 square inches of press is enough for quarter-pound burgers.

Can you make smash burgers in a cast iron skillet?

Yes. Food Network says to smash the beef on a very hot surface so the edges crisp and the outside caramelizes, and cast iron holds heat well: ATK's Best Buy, the Lodge 12 Inch, has strong heat retention and browning.

smash burger checklist

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The must-haves